Former Maryland Delegate, Frank Turner, Died Today at Age 77

Publisher’s Note: What follows is a press release from Howard Community College honoring the life of Frank Turner who died today at age 77.

COLUMBIA, MD – The Howard Community College Board of Trustees, President Daria J. Willis, Ph.D., and the entire campus community mourn the death of Trustee Frank S. Turner, a beloved friend, advocate, educator, and civil servant of the highest regard. He died this morning at the age of 77.

Turner was appointed to the HCC Board of Trustees by former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan in 2019 and reconfirmed in 2024 by Gov. Wes Moore. Before his tenure, he distinguished himself as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Howard County’s 13th District from 1995 to 2009. His fervor for improving the lives of all Marylanders led to his chairing or vice-chairing committees on personnel oversight, education & economic development, juvenile justice, and the joint committee on gaming, as well as his service as House Chair of the Howard County Delegation. Other legislative committee memberships included Judiciary, Appropriations, rules, and executive nominations.

“In a long list of iconic community leaders who have committed their time, their knowledge, and their resources in service of Howard Community College and its students, few outpace the impact of Del. Turner,” said Daria J. Willis, President of Howard Community College. “His love for and his faith in this institution were apparent in his work, his conversation, his giving, and in his advocacy. His expansive intellect and passion for the intersections of higher education and policymaking made clear that joy was in helping people to discover their greatest potential. We join his family, our county, and our state in honoring a remarkable life.”

Born in Mt. Pleasant, New York, Turner was a 1968 graduate of North Carolina College at Durham (now North Carolina Central University). He earned a law degree from the North Carolina Central University School of Law in 1973. He went on to a distinguished career as a professor of business law and legal environment in the Earl G. Graves School of Business and Management at Morgan State University from 1974-2015, earning the title of professor emeritus.

A member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., he was a prolific supporter of many service organizations throughout Howard County, earning awards from the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, the Maryland Association of Community Services, the Howard County Democratic Central Committee, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the Maryland Legislative Black Caucus, to name just a few.

A major donor to the Howard Community College Educational Foundation, he was a 2018 recipient of the Howard Community College Legacy of Service award. In celebrating his memory, he leaves his wife Kim, five children, and generations of families who benefited from his impact.

We celebrate the legacy of a dearly loved leader and example of the HCC standard of friendship, compassion, and excellence.

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